Merchandise display with inventory control

ABSTRACT

A display device including means to support a series of superposed merchandise holding cards, each article of merchandise in each series being different from the other articles of the same series, a tab on each card indicating a parameter of its particular article, each tab being offset from all the other tabs in a series, so that all the tabs are visible, and an elongated opening in each card, an elongated member extending from an end of each opening along the opening, a tube for each article, each tube being mounted on an elongated member, said elongated member being of varying lengths dependent upon the lengths of the articles, means for yieldably snap-holding the tube and its article in position on the card, and a flange on each card adjacent the opening therein.

United States Patent, [191 [111 3,770,120

Hanson 1 1 Nov. 6, 1973 1 MERCHANDISE DISPLAY WITH 2,778,336 1/1957 Liguori 206/56 AB INVENTORY CONTROL [76] Inventor: Henry Lloyd Hanson, Worcester,

Mass.

[22] Filed: Oct. 31, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 302,521

[52] U.S. CL. 206/79, 206/45.14, 206/56 AB, 206/80 R, 206/D1G. 8 [51] Int. Cl B65d 5/50, B65d 73/00 [58] Field of Search 40/312; 206/16 R, 206/17, 45.14, 45.19, 45.34, 46 H, 56 AB, 78 R, 78 B, 79, 80 R, 80 A, 82, DIG. 29, DIG. 8 p

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,286,835 11/1966 Crane, Jr. 206/80 A 3,259,236 7/1966 Cole 206/79 3,081,881 3/1963 Seeger 206/DIG. 8 2,743,011 4/1956 Woofter 206/56 AB 3,251,464 5/1966 Hanson 206/78 R 3,251,476 5/1966 Hanson 206/78 R X 3,273,701 9/1966 Friedman 206/17 X Primary Examiner-William T. Dixson, Jr. Assistant ExaminerSteven E. Lipman Att0rney-Charles R. Fay

[57] ABSTRACT A display device including means to support a series of superposed merchandise holding cards, each article of merchandise in each series being different from the other articles of the same series, a tab on each card indicating a parameter of its particular article, each tab being offset from all the other tabs in a series, so that all the tabs are visible, and an elongated opening in each card, an elongated member extending from an end of each opening along the opening, a tube for each article, each tube being mounted on an elongated member, said elongated member being of varying lengths dependent upon the lengths of the articles, means for yieldably snap-holding the tube and its article in position on the card, and a flange on each card adjacent the opening therein.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Reference is made to US. Pat. No. 3,251,476, dated May 17, 1966. The present invention is an improvement thereon and includes means for holding the article on its mounting card, this means rendering the article easier to apply and to remove. Also means is provided for better mounting of articles of elongated nature wherein one size of tube may be utilized for many sizes and lengths of article, particularly with relation to such articles as drill bits, screw extractors, taps, router bits, and similar elongated narrow articles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A card is provided having along one edge thereof an upstanding flange terminating in a hanger hook, the flange continuing into the hook so as to mount the card on a support in a firm manner even though but a single hook is utilized, the relation of the flange and the merchandise being such as to provide that the card hangs vertically.

The opposite edge of the card is originally provided with a series of outstanding tabs all of which except one are thereafter cut off, leaving only a single tab on each card, each tab being located differently in each series of cards, the tabs of each series of cards, i.e., arranged on a single support, being all visible at the corresponding edge thereof of a series of merchandising holding cards.

In addition there is an elongated opening through the card adjacent the flange and in this opening from one end thereof there extends an elongated ladder member. These elongated members are originally molded in a single length, but are thereafter cut off to different sizes depending upon the length of article mounted in the respective tube and corresponding to the indicia on the remaining tab. Each tube with article therein receives an elongated ladder member at one end of the opening and has a snap fit into a holder at the opposite end thereof, whereby the merchandise is easy to apply to the cards. Simply by clipping off the tabs which are not wanted, and shortening each elongated ladder member to the desired length, a single size of tube can be used to mount many different lengths of articles. lndicia may be provided on the ladder member to indicate cut off points.

In drill bits, screw extractors, etc., the greater the diameter of the tool, the greater its length, so that a tool of small size will have a shorter length than a tool of the next size, etc., and this is the reason for the provision of the ladder members.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation illustrating the card as formed, e.g,. by injection molding;

FIG. 2 is a similar view illustrating an article in position in the opening in the card;

FIG. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of FIG. 2 on a larger scale;

FIG. 4 is an edge view looking in the direction of arrow 4-4 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a section on line 55 of FIG. 2, on a larger scale. I

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring now to FIG. 1 a flat card 10 is preferably injection molded with an upstanding flange 12 along one side edge thereof. The flange 12 extends into a hook-like opening having a bight 14, the flange extending around this bight as at 16. The curve of this hook is reentrant to provide for a relatively small opening at 18 by which the card is to be hung on a rod or peg.

The opposite edge of the card is provided with a series of outstanding tabs which are indicated at 20, and 22, 22. Adjacent to the flange there is an opening which is indicated generally at 24. This opening is generally rectangular and elongated and from one end thereof, i.e., the bottom end at 26, there is an elongated extension or ladder member 28 which is located just in front of the front surface of the card 10. At the upper end of the opening 24 there is provided a molded semicylindrical holding member at the front surface, generally indicated at 32 just below which is a slight undercut provided by projections 34, for a purpose to be described.

A clear plastic tube 36 is applied from the rear face of the card through the opening. It is slipped over the elongated projection or ladder member 28 which anchors it at one end and then it is snapped, from the rear, into the semi-cylindrical member 32 past the projections 34, 34 so that it now appears at the front surface of the card where it is positively held in position. It can be easily removed simply by pressing on the tube at the front of the card to release it from the holding device 32 and projections 34 and then it is Withdrawn in an upward direction from the extending ladder member 28.

Assuming now that a drill bit of l/l 6th inch size is to be mounted and displayed on the card, all the tabs except tab 20 are cut off, leaving the indication 1/l6th, and the ladder member 28 is cut off at a distance which will support such drill as at 40 with the point resting on the end of the elongated ladder member 28, this drill then taking up the rest of the length of the tube.

It will be seen that it will be very easy with the drill in the tube to slide the bottom end of the tube over the ladder member 28, snapping it into the semi-cylindrical tube holding element 32. The same procedure will be carried out for all of the other sizes and all the sizes of a series can then be hung on a rod or peg, front facing forward, each card having a remaining sole tab which is not concealed by any of the other tabs. Therefore it is clearly apparent to what extent the different cards have been removed in purchasing the tool desired.

With a series of cards mounted on a rod or peg or other support, the customer is enabled to grasp the tab showing the tool that he desires without disturbing any of the other cards, and he merely removes the card, leaving the tab space blank, so that the stock clerk can see at a glance which tab is missing and can then easily resupply the display device. There is no need for the cards to be hung in any particular order because whichever card is abstracted, its absence is immediately apparent.

The elongated ladder member 28 can be molded flat, cylindrical or tapered. It may have projections 42 to indicate cut off points for a series of like but different sized articles. The tube and its article are very easily and quickly applied from the rear surface of the card and are just as easily and quickly abstracted therefrom by pressing on the tube adjacent the tube holder 32 at the top end of the slot and then once dislodged from there, the tube and the article are easily withdrawn from engagement with the ladder member 28. The card can be made in any convenient way of any convenient material, but preferably it is injection molded of a suitable plastic material.

The tabs may be made to indicate the kind of cut the particular tool will make, e.g., router bits. The cards may be color coded, and also the tabs may be color coded per se.

I claim: 7

l. A display and inventory card for merchandise comprising a relatively flat sheet of material having a front and a rear side, hanger means in the card, a flange along a side edge of the sheet, an elongated opening in the sheet adjacent the flange,

a tubular member for merchandise, means located at the front side of said card at each end of said opening receiving and holding the ends of the tubular member, one of the holding means including an elongated member extending along the opening from an end thereof, the other holding means comprising a U-shaped snap-in member removably receiving the opposite end of the tubular member, the U-shaped snap-in member being open to the rear of the card, the tubular member being removable from the card toward the rear by pressing is at the front of the card, and a tab extending from the edge of the sheet opposite the flange, said tab including indicia relating to the merchandise,

the hanger means being located substantially on a line passing through the center of gravity of the sheet and merchandise.

2. The card of claim 1 wherein the flange is located at the front side.

3. The card of claim 1 wherein said hanger means includes an indentation in the side edge portion of the card adjacent the flange.

4. The card of claim 1 wherein said hanger means includes an indentation extending into the card, said flange extending around said indentation.

5. The card of claim 1 wherein said elongated member extends into said tubular member at one end thereof. 

1. A display and inventory card for merchandise comprising a relatively flat sheet of material having a front and a rear side, hanger means in the card, a flange along a side edge of the sheet, an elongated opening in the sheet adjacent the flange, a tubular member for merchandise, means located at the front side of said card at each end of said opening receiving and holding the ends of the tubular member, one of the holding means including an elongated member extending along the opening from an end thereof, the other holding means comprising a Ushaped snap-in member removably receiving the opposite end of the tubular member, the U-shaped snap-in member being open to the rear of the card, the tubular member being removable from the card toward the rear by pressing is at the front of the card, and a tab extending from the edge of the sheet opposite the flange, said tab including indicia relating to the merchandise, the hanger means being located substantially on a line passing through the center of gravity of the sheet and merchandise.
 2. The card of claim 1 wherein the flange is located at the front side.
 3. The card of claim 1 wherein said hanger means includes an indentation in the side edge portion of the card adjacent the flange.
 4. The card of claim 1 wherein said hanger means includes an indentation extending into the card, said flange extending around said indentation.
 5. The card of claim 1 wherein said elongated member extends into said tubular member at one end thereof. 